Shipping package



E. S. GOMES SHIPPING PACKAGE April 16, 1935.

Filed Aug. 1, 1934 BY 69145 2152 i ATTORNEY.

WIT/Vi :55: j Z

Patented Apr. 16. 1935 UNITED- STATES PATENT "OFFICE" ;997,968 w r k V SHIPPING PACKAGE 7 Q Earl 'S. Gomes, Cincinnati, Ohio 1 Application August -1,*1934, Serial No. 737,982 7 Claims. (craze-14) This invention relates to a fibre board .re-" Inthe drawi ceptacle supported by an inner framework where- Fig/1 is a perspective view showing one method in a refrigerator cabinet or asimilar cabinet or of-assembling my improved innerv supports in other goods of a'large bulky nature-may be packed connection with. a bottom cradle. I

and shipped. jFig. 2/.is'a perspective view showing a cabinet 5 The principal object of this invention is topproby dotted lines and showing .one method of 'as-- videimprovedinnersupports'in a fibre boardsemblingmy improved innersupports' in conshippingpackage which are simple inconstruc 'nection with a top. brace and a bottom cradle. tion, eflicient, economical to manufacture and .Fig. 3 is a faceview of one of my improved ineasily set-upwithin a fibreboard receptacle. ner, supports. 10

Another object of my inventionis to provide Fig. 4 is asectional "View through 44 of a fibre board receptacle with a top, side walls Fig.3. and an open end and withshort fiapsextending Fig. 5 is a-iace View of one side of the fibre fromoppositely disposed side walls of said reboard'receptacle with a portion of the receptacle 5 ceptacle at the openend of said receptacle in cutaway to-show. apart of aqsection through combination with an inner framework, -said're- 5-5 ofFig. 2. ceptaclebeing so arranged asto slip over said 'Fig. 6 is-a:face view showing one style of top framework and the article packed with said flaps brace and showing the top brace in elevation. extending beyond the body .ofthe framework and Fig. '7 is a face view showing one style of bot- 2 being adapted to bend under and attach'tothe tom cradle and showing the bottom cradle in bottom of said framework at the opencend of elevation." said receptacle and thus save a largeamount of I"he,- structure hereinafter described is particuflaps such as are commonly used in ordinary fibre larly adaptedto be used as a shipping package. board containers. i V forgrefrigerator cabinets with orwithout refrig- I Another object of my invention is-to provide; a eratingunits installed or any other similar cabi- 25 fibre board receptaclewith-improved inner supnetsnr bulky shipmentsof goods. p ortswhich will allow the article packed to ride' In the embodiment of my invention as illusfree of the sidewalls of thereceptacle thereby tratedandwhichshowaa preferred construction providinga free air spaceybetween the article I provide a-tpair ofsidewall-supportsl-l which packed and theside walls of the-receptacle thusaremade of any suitablematerial as for example 30 protecting thefinish'of the articlepackedin a fibre boardtop members 2-2 and substantially most desirable manner. I I i rigid upright wooden corner members 3--3-3-3. Another object of my inventionis to provide Referringnow inrdetail to onecfmy improved afibreboardretaining, supportin 'spacingfand inner supports .1, top member 2. is formed over cushioning member at the ends of substantially theends of corner/members 3 -3 in any suitable 5 zigid upright corner supports whereby said upmanner as forexample by bending a single piece rightsupports-are retained incorner pockets and ofmaterial toform sides adapted to lie substansupported in spaced-apart relation with one antiallyparallel with each other, 'as clearly illusother, and the sharp'orroughedges-at the'ends trated in Figs. land 2. The folded sides of top 4Q: of said upright supports are covered and'cushmembersi arejpreferablyfurther-connectedwith 40 ioned with fibre-board so "that said sharp or one another in any suitable manner as for exrough edges will not rub and/or wear through the ample'withgummed tape 4, leaving the ends of ends-or walls of the-outer receptacle. g top member 2 open to'form pockets 55 as best Another object ofmy-invention is; inc-provide illustrated in Fig. .1. One end of each corner 4.5 substantially rigid uprightcorner supports withmember -33 is-theninserted into said pockets 4.5 ina fibre board-receptacle so that when said're- 5- 5 and preferablyheld securely in said pocket ceptacle is loaded upon the rear endof trucks in any suitablemanner as for example with siliandtiedin with-ropes or the like said supports cate-ofsoda, or glue, or staples. Under ordinary willreinforce the corners of said receptacle and circumstancesino other reinforcement need be notallow said ropesandthe like to cut'through used to hold corner members 3- 3 in spaced-apart 50 said receptacle and rub or -mar the article packed relatiembutewhen additional reinforcing means therein. r a are desired it-will be obvious, that; an additional invention consists in. the construction, support may besuppliediby adding a piece of combination,-.location--andarrangement of parts suitable material, as::for.-examplea zthin strip or" all-as herein set iorth and claimed. wood, whichmay bemlaced insideof the fold'in 55 top member 2 and extend from the inside edge of one corner member 3 to the inside edge of the other corner member 3.

In the present showing I have illustrated a refrigerator cabinet 6 with legs 1|-|-'| as an article to be shipped, mounted upon a bottom cradle 8 and with a top brace 9 mounted upon the top of the cabinet 6. It is well known and is to be clearly understood that various types of top braces and bottom cradles have been commonly used in packing refrigerator cabinets and the like in wooden containers and that cabinets are sometimes packed set on their legs upon the bottom cradle when the legs are strong enough,

and cabinets are sometimes mounted so the legs will be suspended when the legs are not strongenough to carry the load, and some cabinets are made without legs and are loaded upon their base and they may be loaded with their base suspended. In my improved shipping package any of these methods of mounting the cabinet may be adopted. It is 'my purpose here to show a preferred method of applying my improved shipping package and it will be obvious other methods may be adopted without changing the spirit, or purpose, or intention'of my invention.

In practice any kind of a suitable bottom cradle may be used as for example bottom cradle 8 with bottom pieces l0lfl fastened to connecting pieces H-|I in any suitable manneras for example with nails, and with leg stays l2l2 fastened to connecting pieces H-l l in any suitable manner as for example with nails. The cabinet 6 may then be set upon the bottom cradle 8 with the leg stays I2l 2 inside of the corners of the legs 'i'i--'l1, my improved inner supports ll may then be connected with bottom cradle 8 in any suitable manner as for example with nails as best illustrated in' Figs. 1 and 2. Any kind of a suitable top brace may be used as for example top brace 9, with cabinet stays l3- -l3 attached to connecting pieces l4l4 in any suitable manner as for example with nails and with connectingpieces l4l4 attached to top pieces -15 in any suitable manner as for example with nails. Cabinet stays 13-43 may drop down into the open top of the cabinet '6, as best illustrated in Fig. 5, to stay the top of said cabinet. Certain styles of cabinets may thus be held in spaced-apart relation with my improved supporting units and with the side walls of the receptacle.

To protect the door handle I6, cross member I! may be attached to supports |l in any suitable manner as for example with nails as best shown in Fig. 2, fibre board receptacle I8 is then slipped over my improved inner supports l-l and the top of said receptacle is closed with oppositely disposed closing flaps |9-| 9 and oppositely disposed closing flaps 2U20 in a manner well known.

The package then may be raised up, or turned over, or turned upside down in any suitable manner and the oppositely disposed bottom flaps 23-23 may be bent over the bottom pieces l0-l 0 of the bottom cradle 8 and securely fastened thereto in any suitable manner as for example with nails as best shown in Fig. 5. The bottom of the side walls 2 I2l of receptacle l8 may then be secured to bottom cradle 8 in any suitable manner as for example with nails through side walls 2E--2| into connecting pieces ll-|l of bottom cradle 8 as best shown in Fig. 5.

For packages weighing over a certain weight the railroads require that additional wooden skids be attached to the bottom of the package. It will be obvious that wooden skids can be attached to my improved package when necessary to meet railroad requirements.

Various methods of packing refrigerator cabinets have been in common use, sometimes the top of the cabinet is shipped in a separate package, sometimes said top is built integral with the cabinet and sometimes said top is packed in a separate compartment in the same package with the cabinet. In the present showing a compartment 22 is provided wherein a cabinet top may be packed and shipped.

Some of the advantages of my improved construction are:

lThe package is light in weight.

2-The article packed can be easily assembled in or removed from the interior framework of the receptacle and the receptacle can be easily arranged over or removed from the interior framework.

3'I'he package is economical as only a few parts are required for the complete pa'ckage and very little labor is required to set up the complete package.

The fibre board receptacle is substantially supported and it can be tied on trucks with ropes or strapped with steel strap in groups to form what is commonly known as a unit load when loaded in railroad cars or large trucks or the'like.

While I have shown and described one particular embodiment of my invention it will be understood that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope or spirit thereof, as for example additional upright rigid members may be added to each said supporting unit, or an additional unit or units may be added to another side or sides of said framework, if desired, to take care of very heavy shipments and/or the fibre board receptacle may be made with bottom closing flaps similar to the top closing flaps.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: g

1. A shipping package comprising a fibre board receptacle composed of a top, side walls and an open end, oppositely disposed flaps extending from certain of said walls at the open end of said receptacle, a bottom cradle with stays thereon, a top brace with stays thereon and a pair of oppositely disposed supporting units adjacent certain of said receptacle walls, each said unit being composed of a pair of substantially rigid upright corner members and a top member, said 'corner members being adapted to be connected with said bottom cradle and extend substantially from the bottom to the top of said receptacle, said top member being adapted to extend substantially across said'side wall, said stays on said bottom cradle and said stays on said top brace being adapted to maintain the article packed in spaced-apart relation with certain said receptacle walls, said topbrace being adapted to lie between said supporting units in the top of said receptacle overthe article packed, said flaps being adapted to fold under said bottom cradle and be attached thereto.

2. In a shipping package of the class described a pair of oppositely disposed supporting units, each unit being composed of a pair of substantially rigid upright corner members and a top member, said top member being adapted to extend substantially across the top of a'certain wall of said package and to fold back on itself to form a slot, said corner members being adapted to extend substantially from the bottom to the top of said package and each having an end portion adapted to fit into one end of said slot and connect with said top member.

3. In a shipping package of the class described a pair of oppositely disposed supporting units, each unit being composed of a pair of substantially rigid upright corner members and a con-.

necting. and cushioning means for said corner members, said corner members being adapted to extend substantially from the bottom to the top of the corners of a certain wall in said package, said connecting and cushioning means being adapted to extend substantially across the top of said package wall, each end of said connecting and cushioning means being adapted to connect with the top end of one of said corner members, and cover and cushion the top of said corner member. a

4. In a shipping package of the class described a pair of oppositely disposed supporting units, each unit being composed of a pair of substantially rigid upright corner members and a top member, said top member being adapted to extend substantially across the top of a certain wall of said package and to fold back on itself, the center portion of the sides of said top member being fastened to one another to form a retaining pocket at each end of said top member, said corner members being adapted to extend substantially from the bottom to the top of said package and each of said corner members having an end portion adapted to fit into one of said pockets and connect with said top member.

5. In a shipping package of the class described a pair of oppositely disposed supporting units, a bottom cradle and a top brace, each of said units being composed of a pair of substantially rigid upright corner members and a top member, said corner members being adapted to be connected with said bottom cradle and lie substantially parallel with and against the package wall, said top brace being adapted to connect the top ends of said comer members at the top of said package, whereby the sidewalls and corners of said package and the top and bottom of said package are substantially reinforced.

6. A shipping package comprising a fibre board receptacle, an interior framework and a refrigerator cabinet, said receptacle being composed of a top, side walls and an open bottom, oppositely disposed and relatively short flaps extending from certain walls at said bottom of said receptacle, said framework being composed of a bottom,'a top and substantially rigid upright supports, said supports being adapted to lie substantially parallel with and adjacent to two oppositely disposed walls of said receptacle and to extend substantially from the bottom to the top of said receptacle, said framework being arranged 'to brace and support said refrigerator cabinet,

said flaps beingadapted to fold under and attach to the bottom of said framework, whereby said receptacle, framework and refrigerator cabinet are adapted to form a shipping package wherein said receptacle is strongly reinforced by said framework and said refrigerator cabinet is securely held free of the side walls of said receptacle.

'7. A shipping package comprising a fibre board receptacle, an interior framework and a refrigerator cabinet, said receptacle being composed of a top, side walls and an open bottom, said frame- 'Work being composed of a bottom cradle with stays thereon, a top brace with stays thereon and certain side wall supports connected at the bottom with said cradle and at the top with said brace, said framework being arranged to support and brace said refrigerator cabinet, said receptacle being of such dimensions as to fit over said framework with certain sidewalls of the receptacle attached to said framework at the open end of said receptacle whereby said receptacle, framework and refrigerator cabinet are adapted to form a shipping package.

EARL S. GOMES. 

